How Ludger Sylbaris Survived a Volcano From a Jail Cell

Human beings are remarkably resilient in the face of adversity. People survive being trapped in freezing waters, climbing the peaks of the highest mountains, and traversing arid deserts.

For every extreme environment or tragedy, there is a story of a person who survived against all odds. This holds true even for the eruption of Mount Pelée, the most dangerous eruption of the 20th century.

In a tragedy that killed nearly 30,000 people, one man stands out as a survivor: Ludger Sylbaris.

Louis-Auguste Cyparis, one and only survivor of the huge Mt. Pelée´s eruption, Martinique, May 8th 1902.

A Lifesaving Arrest

Ludger Sylbaris was born just outside of Saint-Pierre, a bustling Caribbean city on the island of Martinique, in 1874. As a Black man born on a plantation, especially in a Caribbean town in the 19th century, official records are scarce or difficult to uncover.

Some claim his name was August Cyparis, while others say it was Louis-Auguste Cyparis, and that he shortened it to Ludger at some point. His birth records contradict these claims though.

Beyond his birth, not much is known about the early years of Sylbaris’ life besides that he worked as a laborer in various roles in the city of Saint-Pierre throughout his life and had a roguish nature. By the 20th century, Sylbaris was a felon.

He loved to drink and would often get in fights around the island. He was ultimately was thrown in jail on the night of May 7. In a twist of fate, Sylabris’ criminal behavior would actually save his life.

The Most Destructive Eruption of the 20th Century

On April 23, 1902, Mt. Pelée began to stir. It spewed hot steam from its peak, but settled down within a few days.

However, just over a week later, the volcano began shaking again, spewing forth steam and ash in bellowing clouds. Over the course of a week, the volcano slowly began to slowly increase the power of its destruction.

First, the rumbling of the volcano caused a mudslide, which cascaded to the shoreline on one side of the volcano. The force of the landslide hitting the water caused tsunamis down the coast and killed 150 people.

Then, the beginnings of a magmatic eruption rumbled and lit up the sky. Lightning cut across the darkened sky as smoke billowed.

Then, on May 8th, 1902, Mt. Pelée became the most destructive volcanic eruption of the 20th century. Mt. Pelée released a massive explosion of lava and gas that flooded over the island with the speed of a hurricane, quickly closing in on Saint-Pierre.

View of St. Pierre, Martinique, after eruption of Mt. Pelée, 1902

It was nearly impossible for anyone to escape as the incendiary cloud quickly immersed the city in darkness. Nearly 28,000 people were killed by the eruption, almost the entire population of Saint Pierre. Very few people were able to survive.

For the most part, the survivors were all saved by the ocean: some were on boats off the coast, some rowed into hidden caves around the island, and others were blown into the water. However, Sylbaris is the only survivor of Mt. Pelée’s eruption that remained on the island and survived.

Surviving the Apocalypse

After being arrested for his drunken fight, Sylbaris was placed in solitary confinement. He had been arrested many times before and was not worth the trouble.

The solitary confinement at the jail consisted of a single cell within a small extended portion of the building. The small half-circle room jutted from the building with only a grated door on one end and was constructed of heavy stone.

The jail cell was a miserable experience for a prisoner in the Caribbean climate on a regular day. However, the limited circulation and solid construction of the cell protected Sylbaris from the worst of the eruption.

He did his best to avoid breathing the toxic fumes and urinated on his clothing before pressing it against the grate to act as a barrier against the heat. As the wave of 1000-degree air swept through the city, Sylabris felt it rush past his cell and could hear the city being leveled by the pressure wave of the cloud.

However, he was in the safest place in the city; the cell did not collapse and Sylbaris survived, albeit with major burns.

“The Most Marvelous Man in the World”

Only a handful of other people were able to survive the volcano. The island was destroyed and the city was leveled by the force of the volcano’s eruption.

After the island started to get back on its feet, Sylbaris was pardoned for his crimes. He was then invited to become a member of Barnum and Bailey’s circus.

He toured the United States with the troupe and was advertised as “the man who lived through Doomsday.” Huge crowds would come to see Sylbaris in a recreation of his prison cell.

This was an incredible feat considering the show was still segregated. Sylbaris was the first Black man to perform for Barnum.

Performing in the Greatest Show on Earth turned Sylbaris into a minor celebrity. This was something he never could have imagined would happen when he was arrested for a drunk fight on his small Caribbean island years before.

Sylbaris’ Later Life

Sylbaris would live on for almost 30 more years before passing away from natural causes. In many ways, the tragedy that nearly wiped an entire population off the map saved his life.

Not only did Sylbaris survive the eruption, but he received a steady job and became a minor celebrity because he was in the right place at the right time. Or, the wrong time, depending on the perspective.

His tale is one of extreme chance and serendipity, demonstrating the tenacity of humanity. No matter how bad the tragedy, humanity always finds a way to persist.